Locomotive steam-pipe-jacket packing



Oct. 1,1929. 5, HOLLOWELL 1,729,944

LOCOMOTIVE STEAM PIPE JACKET PACKING Filed March 3, 1927 INVENTOR fver efhollowe ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 1, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE LOCOMOTIVE STEAM-PI1 E-J'ACKET PACKING Application filed March 3, 1927. Serial No. 172,351.

The invention relates to locomotive steam pipe jacket packing, and more particularly to an improved packing joint for the steam pipe jackets of locomotives.

5 It is a matter of common knowledge that the smoke box through which the steam pipe passes is subject to a considerable vacuum, owing to the force draft created by the exhaust steam from the exhaust nozzles and that any leakage of air into the smoke box through the steam pipe jackets, diminishes the vacuum and decreases the draft, resulting in a correspondingly less amount of coal burned in the firebox and loss of steam pressure and power.

The present invention has provided an improved joint for the ackets of locomotive steam pipes that seals the jacket against leakage of air to the smoke box.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, the accompanying drawings illustrating a form of the invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a view on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 with the smoke box and upper section of the steam jacket in section also a part of the plate ring packing, and the near lower section of the steam pipe jacket and a portion of the packing joint removed, steam pipe, the remaining portion of the improved packing joint and the steam chest shown in full view, the smoke box, steam chest and steam pipe being shown in fragmentary view.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the steam pipe jacket in full view, and the smoke box and steam chest in fragmentary View.

Fig. 3 is a flat view of one member of the packing joint.

Fig. 4 is a flat View of the packing ring plate or sectional packing ring.

Fig. 5 is an edge view of the sectional packing ring.

The smoke box 1, steam pipe 2, steam chest 3, upper section of steam pipe jacket 4, and lower section 5 of the jacket are of common and well known construction, and are the usual construction of locomotives not equipped with any kind of steam pipe jacket packing joint, the usual practice being to pack the upper section of the steam pipe jacket with asbestos rope, but the tendency of the vacuum in the smoke box is to pull this rope into the smoke box and. cause leakage of air through the jacket to the smoke box.

The inner flange shaped packing ring 6 is parted on the line 7 forming two duplicate halves with the lugs 8 integral therewith and is bolted securely to the steam pipe 2 by the bolts 9.

The packing ring 6 is provided with the annular groove 11 in which the flat packing ring 12 is closely fitted, the ring 12 being in four duplicate sections as indicated by the full lines 13 and dotted lines 14 of Fig. 4. The flat packing ring 12 is bolted between the upper section 3 and lower section 4; of steam pipe jacket by the bolts 15 and is sufiiciently resilient to compensate for the expansion and contraction of the steam pipe 2,.and forms a perfectly tight seal against the leakage of air to the upper section of the steamlpipe acket and the smoke box 1.

The improved packing joint for the steam pipe jackets of locomotives has provided sealing the smoke box against. the leakage of air thereto without any change in the present equipment, save the application of the packing joint and increases the generation of steam and the power of the locomotive.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a packing joint for the steam pipe jackets of locomotives, a locomotive steam pipe, a steam pipe jacket formed of upper and lower sections and surrounding said steam pipe, a split ring clamped to said pipe, an external annular groove in said split ring, a fiat packing ring formed of thin metal in a plurality of thicknesses, each thickness of said ring divided diametrically with the dividing edges of each thickness of said flat packing ring abutting, the abutting edges of each thickness of said fiat packing ring spaced circumferentially away from the abutting edges of the remaining thickness of said ring, the inner edge of said fiat packing rlng resting 1n said groove and fitting tightly between the side walls of said groove, the side walls of said groove movable by expansive force diametrically on said fiat packing ring, the outer edge of said flat packing ring disposed between the upper and lower sections of said steam pipe jacket, and bolts binding said jacket sections and said flat packing ring rigidly together.

2. In a packing joint for the steam pipe jackets oi locomotives, a locomotive smoke box, a locomotive cylinder, a steam pipe connecting from within said smoke box to said cylinder, a jacket surrounding said steam pipe and :t-ormed of upper and lower sec tions with the upper section of said steam pipe jacket connected to said smoke box, in combination with a pair of annular flanges extending outwardly around said steam pipe and within said jacket, said flanges forming an annular groove therebet-ween, a flat packing ring formed of thin metal in a plurality of thicknesses, each thickness of said ring divided diametrically with the dividing edges of each thickness of said flat. packing ring abutting, the abutting edges of each thick-- ness of said flat packing ring spaced circumferentially away from the abutting edges of the remaining thickness 01": said ring, the inner edge of said flat packing ring resting in said groove and fitting tightly between the side walls of said groove, the side walls of said groove movable by expansive force diametrically on said flat packing ring, the outer edge of said flat packing ring disposed between the upper and lower sections of said steam pipe jacket, and bolts binding said jacket sections and said flat packing ring rigidly together.

EVERETT HOLLOVELL. 

